Definitely a contender for top reads of 2024 for me. Glad you joined in the reading with us Zara! Maybe we can explore another GGK book later in the year! - Cheers!
Wonderful review! It’s so incredible to have a buddy read where the book for both of us became one of our favorite books of all time. So immersive, so emotionally poignant-a true masterpiece. Thanks for the shout out, and we did indeed already have the live chat on my channel if you wanted to check it out to hear lots of gushing, but also some eloquent ramblings by John and Chris about the themes.
I read this book back in 2022. It was probably my favorite read of that year, definitely my favorite of GGK's books (Under Heaven is a close second). My guy Blaise is one of my favorite main characters in any book. I thought that his journey was an allegory for breaking away from the toxic influence of a narcissistic parent and realizing one's true potential.
I love that you loved this book! It was my book of the year last year, and is likely going to be a top 10 of all time for me. I'm honestly in awe of him as a writer.
Yes, A Song for Arbonne is my favorite - I've read 5 so far. I just really connected with that story, although I did give 4 of the 5 books I've read 5 star ratings!
«Arbonne» was my favorite read of 2021, and I am so glad you enjoyed it: I love the musical aspects and this book is a prime example of several GGK characters could be read (rather fittingly given the musical focus of this novel) as variants scales/interpretations of a musical piece: Comparing «Arbonne» to «Lions of Al-Rassan», Blaise is a warrior and mercenary like Rodrigo, but also a former assassin and in exile like Ammar, while Bertran is a poet like Ammar and a noble like Rodrigo. I agree very with my GGK Masters Bridger and Jake that this book is a perfect introduction to GGK (better written POV characters then «Tigana» (which is why I think a lot of «character driven»-readers can bounce of GGK after reading only that one, even though I personally LOVE the world building in it, heck my only videos are on how GGK used Mythology in «Tigana»!) and better villains/paced then «The Lions of Al-Rassan», though all are 5 Star Reads for me too!). Since GGK tends to have courtly artists and nobles as his POVs, «Arbonne» is a fun standout with the «manly-man» mercenary Blaise as the main POV: It is so fun to see Blaise go from being SO fed up with Arbonne, to gain respect and even healing some of his previous traumas though the women and men of Arbonne! To this day scenes from this book is vivid in my mind: I burst my gut with laughter whenever I think of Blaise and Bertram gathering sheep in Mountains (A symbolism not lost on me!), Blaise’s oneman «shootout» («bow-out»?😄) is one of the best action scenes I have ever read, and the Villa scene between Blaise and Rudel, going from banter between old friends, to tense, potentially lethal, dialogue between possible mortal enemies, and finally ending full of remorse, empathy and sadness: So tense, so heartbreaking, simply a gold standard for writing in my opinion! And Blaise’s father is such a delightfully evil antagonist, going from a bog standard simple misogynistic and fanatic villain to a multifaceted master manipulator (or possibly just a massive opportunist, you decide!) and Blaise's complex relationship (to say the least!) relationship to his brother had me almost weeping at the end! While it clearly is inspired by the Albigensian/Cathar Crusade (where Northern French Catholic defeated the Cathars of Southern France, who were declared heretics by the Catholic Church) and there are the trappings of the Medieval Catholic Church, as with many of GGK faiths it tends to be more inspired by Classical & Celtic Mythology in theology: In this book, the deities of Coronnos and Rian are inspired by the Celtic Deity Corannus (the «Horned Man» tied to nature and hunting) and Rhiannon of Welsh Myth (an «Otherworldly» Heroine) respectively, and their faiths are inspired by archaeologist and anthropologist Marija Gimbutas’ disputed theories (GGK loves to use her ideas!) of Matriarchal «Old Europe» Cultures centered on Fertility Cults being replaced by a migrating Patriarchal Indo-European Warrior Culture (her «Kurgan» linguistic theory on the spread of Indo-European Languages and Culture from the Ukrainian Steppes on the other hand, is the current dominant academic view). The Coronnos Cult is also clearly inspired by how the fusion of the Roman Cult of Victory and the Germania Warrior Ethos of what would become the Nobles Families of Europe after the Western Roman Empire fell, evolved the rather pacifistic (and if not quite Matriarchal, than definitely with a female majority congregation, can highly recommend Rodney Stark’s book «The Rise of Christianity» on that subject) Early Church into the faith of Kings and Crusaders, while the Culture of Arbonne is inspired by the legendary «Courts of Love» in Southern France sponsored by Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine (inspired by the concept of «Courtly Love» brought from both Muslim Spain and returned Crusaders from the Holy Land, with an origin perhaps dating to pre-Islamic Arabic Warrior-Poets such as Antarah ibn Shaddad, can highly recommend the «In Our Times» podcast episode on him).
While I had heard it was inspired by the Albigensian Crusade, which ironically I was reading a book on just prior to reading, once I got past it really had nothing to do with it beyond the most general terms and some French sounding names, I started to enjoy the book a lot more.
Thank you for this gem of a comment. I learnt quite a bit! I haven’t read Al-Rassan yet but I will try to this year. That, Sarantine Moasic and Under Heaven are my priorities.
Also totally agree on the action scenes. I also teared up at the end with the bit with his brother too. Such an emotional scene. Would love to see it on the screen.
I will never understand GGKs insistence on graphic sex scenes and using S&M for comedic effeft. Also why, one of the villians had to be a literal moustache twirling puppy killer. But agreed, beyond a few questionable scenes, it was excellent. But still like Lions better.
Yeah it’s bizarre and he’s definitely capable of writing books without that stuff. A Brightness Long Ago doesn’t have any of that stuff and it was 5/5 for me.
I read this in January and was genuinely enthralled with the story and characters. You expressed why so much better than I could in a comment but this has definitely become one of my favourite books ever. Plus, I'll kick in a little flag waving for a fellow Canadian!😄
Best wishes with what you choose to read. I hope you get some great stories. I'm currently reading the Count of Monte Cristo so I may be some time! Happy reading.
Awesome review, glad you liked it! It's definitely among the best GGK has ever written. Looking at these reviews just remind me of how great an experience I had when I read it.
@@bookswithzara This, Tigana, Lions of Al-Rassan, Under Heaven, River of Stars, Ysabel and All the Seas of the World. My all time favorite is easily Lions of Al-Rassan. You enjoying this as much as I did from the sounds of it makes me wonder what I'll think of A Brightness Long Ago and Children of Earth and Sky now, given your reactions.
I need to get back to reading GGK, but Robin Hobb's pretty much dominating my slow paced and beautifully written Fantasy reading atm 😅 Oh, unrelated but i bought The Spear Cuts Through Water because of your review.
